Saturday, the Latina/o Graduate Student Association, among other student organizations, will be hosting an open musical event for Las Cafeteras, which has been acclaimed the “best Latin alternative band” by L.A. Weekly.

Las Cafeteras will be presenting a workshop entitled Racism: “Ain’t Nobody Got Time for That!” at 4:30 p.m. in the Sun Room at the Memorial Union.  Then the band will be performing the Great Hall at the at 7:30 p.m.  The doors are set to open at 7 p.m. and there will be no charge for admission.

However, some student organizations, such as Lambda Theta Alpha Latin Sorority, Inc will be collecting donations at the event. According to the Latina/o Graduate Student Organization’s Facebook page, the proceeds will be going “to help families in Iowa that are being torn apart by ICE and the current immigration system.”

According to Juan Duchimaza-Heredia, the president of the Latina/o Graduate Student Association, the members of the band are “musicians, students, educators, and activists.”

“They use old school instruments to update Son Jarocho music, a regional style of Veracruz, Mexico, that’s been around for hundreds of years, to tell their story of growing up in the streets of LA,” Duchimaza-Heredia said.

He also mentioned that Las Cafeteras’ music blends Son Jarocho, Afro-Mexican and Indigenous rhythms, spoken word, and lyrics in English, Spanish and Spanglish. They use this unique blend to speak out about social justice.

“From the name of the group, which challenges the way the Spanish language defaults to the masculine when talking about a group composed of men and women, to the lyrics of their songs, they use their ‘musician’ status to reach the listener and challenge them to think differently,” Duchimaza-Heredia said.

Audience members should expect “a transformative experience.” Las Cafeteras is expected to shed a light on current issues and tie those issues back into their own lived realities.

“The concert will become a place for attendees to be in community, learn from one another, and ultimately enjoy this refreshing blend of traditional sounds with modern messages,” Duchimaza-Heredia said.

The social commentary will be easily digested through the performance.

“Their performance is highly energetic,” Duchimaza-Heredia said. “They sing with passion, and they dance with purpose.”